Tennessee Senate Bill SB0750

Tennessee 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/4/25
• Engrossed: 4/9/25
• Enrolled: 4/17/25
• Passed: 5/2/25
• Chaptered: 5/13/25

Caption

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 4; Title 7; Title 8; Title 38 and Title 68, relative to illegal aliens.

Summary

SB0750 requires Tennessee’s centralized immigration enforcement division within the Department of Safety to produce a report by July 1, 2026, on illegal alien criminal activity in the state. The report must assess criminal enterprises associated with illegal aliens and analyze any threats they pose. The division may use information and assistance from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, but it is prohibited from including information that could compromise active investigations, prosecutions, or other confidential material protected by state or federal law. The bill also requires the division to share the completed report with law enforcement agencies across Tennessee to support a coordinated response to unlawful activity. It takes effect immediately upon becoming law. In practical terms, the measure adds a new reporting and information-sharing duty to the state’s immigration enforcement apparatus rather than creating a new criminal offense or changing immigration status rules directly.

Impact

The bill amends Tennessee Code Annotated Titles 4, 7, 8, 38, and 68 by imposing a new reporting obligation on the centralized immigration enforcement division in the Department of Safety. It affects state law enforcement administration and interagency coordination, especially the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and local/state police agencies that may receive the report. The bill does not itself alter federal immigration law or create new penalties, but it formalizes state-level data collection and analysis regarding alleged criminal activity associated with illegal aliens.

Sentiment

The bill appears to have received generally favorable support in the legislature, passing the Senate Judiciary Committee 5-2 and later clearing floor votes by substantial margins in both chambers. The vote totals suggest broad majority support, though not unanimity, indicating that the measure was viewed positively by most lawmakers but still drew meaningful opposition. No committee transcript was provided, so the available record reflects support primarily through voting outcomes rather than detailed debate.

Contention

The main point of contention is the bill’s focus on illegal aliens and the framing of criminal activity and threats associated with that population, which likely raised concerns among opponents about stigmatization, scope, and policy priorities. The bill also raises practical concerns about the reliability and confidentiality of the information used in the report, since it must avoid compromising investigations and prosecutions. The recorded nays in committee and on the floor show that some legislators opposed the measure, but the available materials do not identify specific arguments or sponsors of opposition.